House

House Dem cites transgender grandson in voting for Equality Act

by Morgan Gstalter - 05/17/19 4:14 PM ET

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) on Friday cited her transgender grandson as she voted in favor of the historic Equality Act, which offers protections for LGBT people.

The House of Representatives on Friday for the first time approved the Equality Act, legislation banning anti-LGBT discrimination.

“As the proud grandmother of a young transgender man, I will not stop fighting until he is granted equal recognition and treatment under the law,” Schakowsky tweeted before the vote. “He, like all people, deserves a fair chance to obtain and education, find housing, and support himself and his loved ones.”{mosads}

The lawmaker wrote that her grandson, “like all people, deserves to live his life free from discrimination and fear.”

“He, like all people, is human and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity,” Schakowsky wrote.

He, like all people, deserves to live his life free from discrimination and fear. He, like all people, is human and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. #EqualityAct

— Jan Schakowsky (@janschakowsky) May 17, 2019

The bill passed on a 236-173 vote. Every Democrat voted for the measure, including eight Republicans.

The measure would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act to ban discrimination in employment, housing, jury selection and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

It now moves to the Republican-controlled Senate, where it is unlikely Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will bring it up for a vote.

Schakowsky celebrated its passage on Twitter and gave a subtle nod to McConnell.

“SUCCESS!! #EqualityAct passed the House of Representatives! On to the Senate! #YourMoveMitch.”